Schwarzenegger names Geena Davis to women's equality panel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed actress Geena Davis to a California commission established to promote women's equality.

Schwarzenegger on Tuesday named the 54-year-old actress to the Commission on the Status of Women. The nonpartisan panel advocates for women and girls in areas such as education and access to health care.

Davis, a Democrat, has worked off screen to reduce gender stereotyping. She is the founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in the Media and is a partner with United Nations Development Fund for Women.

She won an Oscar in 1989 for her supporting role in "The Accidental Tourist" and was nominated for best actress in 1992 for "Thelma and Louise."

The appointment lasts four years and requires Senate confirmation. The 17 commissioners receive a $100 per diem.